Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Series Blitz - Misjudged by Sarah Elizabeth

One night of pure intimacy with a guy she knew nothing about, that couldn’t have prepared her for the next chapter in her life.

But will it be for the better, or for the worse?

Eighteen year old, Alexis Harper, is a smart, attractive, and ambitious young woman with great friends, a doting father, and a scholarship at one of Washington State’s most prestigious Performing Arts Colleges.

When the mysterious stranger makes his arrival in her life, she’s captivated by him. She’s intrigued by his past and more so by what the future could possibly hold for them.

Meet Brandon Taylor.

A damaged and confused twenty year old who is grieving for the life he once had.

He didn’t think for one moment that he could ever find happiness, and he didn’t want to. He was happy living within the high walls he’d barricaded around himself.

It felt safe.

When Alexis’ and Brandon’s worlds collide, nobody could have prepared them for the emotional rollercoaster they were about to board together.

With love, loss, deceit, and betrayal abound, it’s pretty hard to trust even those closest to you, as both Brandon and Alexis are soon to find out.

“Oh, I love this one!” There she goes again. I laugh at Alyssa’s delight as she bobs her head to the rhythm. “I wish I could play!”

“I could teach you if you want,” Brandon suggests and I see her screwing her face up at the mere thought of it. I don’t know why, but I’m feeling frustrated by how they’re so friendly towards each other, and then inwardly curse myself for being overly dramatic. They don’t have any reason not to be. I guess it’s because I want to be the one having a comfortable and easygoing conversation with him. Oh, hell.

“Not with these nails, babe! Besides, I’m all fingers and thumbs when it comes to stuff like that!” She waves her hands up in the air as she wiggles her fingers out in front of her.

I seriously wish I hadn’t taken a sip of my beer at that precise moment because the amount I just spluttered out of my mouth and all over myself at her remark has gained everyone’s attention.

“Are you okay?” Ryan jumps up and grabs me a couple of tissues from the coffee table. “What? You don’t think she would be any good at it?”

“Fingers and thumbs!” Alyssa bursts out laughing as she catches onto why I reacted in that way. “’Mr. Operation Orgasm’! We still need to find out who he is!”

I notice Brandon’s head snap up and feel my cheeks warming when I see a tiny smile playing over his lips, and for a split second, a sparkle bounces around in his eyes. Why can't he be that same guy from Friday instead of the womanizing man whore that he so obviously is?

“’Mr. Operation Orgasm’?” He’s looking at me with raised eyebrows, and I hear a trace of amusement in his tone. “This sounds interesting.”

**********

Misplaced Trust (Book Two)

Synopsis

Forever.

That one word was supposed to mean their love would never end, yet only twenty-four hours after he promised her forever, Brandon tore it away in a single heartbeat, leaving Alexis brokenhearted and unable to answer the simple question as to why he left.

As Alexis tries to understand his reasons for leaving, while wondering and hoping he will one day return, her life faces yet another downward spiral. She finally learns the truth about both her own and Brandon’s pasts, which in turn leaves her feeling their relationship wasn’t what she thought it had been at all.

Trust.

You’re supposed to be able to trust those closest to you, but what happens when the most important people in your life turn out to be those you shouldn’t have trusted or had any faith in at all?

Love, lies, deceit, and betrayal make for another unsteady ride in the Misjudged series, with only two options left open for Alexis and Brandon.

A happily ever after, or a journey in which ends in one of the most tragic of circumstances?

“It was nice meeting you, Alexis,” I hear him call after us. Stilling for a second and glancing over my right shoulder, I see him nod once when our eyes meet, his hands now stuffed in the front of his pants pockets. “I’ll see you around.”

Alexis. People around here call me Alex, not Alexis. The only other person who ever called me that was, well, we know who that was. I don’t know, maybe I did introduce myself without even realizing. I haven’t exactly been with it recently.

“Do you know him?” Neil asks as he ushers me towards our building.

“No,” I answer him. “At least … I don’t think I do.”

******

Misguided Truths: Part one (Book Three)

Synopsis

***To be read AFTER reading both Misjudged & Misplaced Trust***

Every story has its own beginning.

His started when he set her a simple challenge.

But, unbeknown to him at the time, this very challenge was the start to something that would change his life … forever.

“Hold that thought, I’ll be right back,” he places a quick kiss on my lips after checking the caller ID, and then leaves the table, summoning Corey, Gaz, and Sam to follow him as he walks out toward the sidewalk to take the call.

I take a sip of my milkshake and listen to Naomi moaning about having to babysit for her kid sister again tonight. A few minutes have passed by, and when I look up, I see the four of them walking back over to join us.

My smile falters when I see Brandon raking a hand through his hair. He looks stressed about something. He always does this when he’s upset.

He briefly makes eye contact as he takes his seat beside me, though the frown over his lips and the sorrowful look in his eyes is making my stomach churn.

“What is it?” I take a hold of his hand as I ask and peer over towards Corey, Gaz, and Sam. They’re smiling brightly and seem really happy about something, though I can’t hear exactly what they’re saying as they chat with Ryan and Neil.

“Holl’s, it was the manager from the bar we’re playing at tonight … they, um … one of the other bands cancelled and they’ve had to make some changes to the time slot …” he begins. His voice is low, and his eyes aren’t anywhere as bright as they were when he first walked in here. “They asked us to play from eight … ‘til eleven.”

“What?” I hadn’t expected my voice to be quite so loud, drawing the attention of everyone seated around our table. “Well, you told them no, right?”

He turns to look at me and his eyes are filling with regret. “What? No. We told them yes. I mean, it’s our first gig and—”

“Brandon, it’s our two month anniversary!”

“Holl’s, we couldn’t turn it down. Listen, tomorrow. We can always do something—” he stops talking when I stand up and try to squeeze by him. “Where are you going? Holly, please? Come on, be reasonable here.” He places his hands on either side of my waist, though I instantly shrug him away from me.

“Reasonable?” I practically choke out. “You think that I’m the one who’s being unreasonable here?” I shake my head as I exit the booth and make my way towards the exit.

I understand how important the gig is tonight, I really do. But, why does our relationship always have to come second? This isn’t the first time he’s put the band before me. Before us. And, I’m pretty certain that it won’t be the last.

The cold air hits me as soon as I step outside and I wrap my arms around myself to try and keep warm. The door swings open as I lean against the window, and I see Brandon walking over until he’s standing right in front of me.

“What’s goin’ on?” he lifts his hand and brushes his fingers across my cheek. I break my gaze from his searching eyes and move my head to the side. “Holly, talk to me.”

“You really have to ask what’s wrong, Brandon? Really?” he takes a step away from me and lowers his hands, now placing them in the front of his pants pockets.

“This is huge for the band, Holl’s. It’s fucking huge. What am I supposed to do? You want me to tell them no and let the guys down?” He sounds frustrated.

“But it’s okay to let me down?” My voice cracks when I ask.

“We need this gig, Holly,” he speaks quietly through his teeth without looking at me. “It’s important.”

“More important than our relationship?” I ask. I’m starting to feel hurt from his words. He shakes his head, keeping his eyes focused on the ground, and I hear him let out a sigh.

I look over my shoulder and through the window towards our friends. Neil’s turned around in his seat and is watching us, mouthing the words ‘You okay?’ over at me. I give him a small smile and nod, though I’m sure he’s still not overly convinced that I’m telling the truth from the way his eyebrows are now furrowing on the two of us.

“Right, let’s get back to it!” Corey says enthusiastically as he, Gaz, and Sam exit through the doors. “Looks like we’ve got a few more songs to perfect before tonight!” He pats Brandon on the shoulder as he walks behind him and makes his way towards the white truck.

Brandon turns to look at me, and I’m not overly sure whether he’s angry or upset, maybe even a bit of both. He leans forward and whispers in my ear, “Please don’t be mad with me, Holly.” Placing a kiss on my cheek, I don’t reciprocate. I’m finding it hard to keep myself from crying through the disappointment I’m feeling.

“If I was to tell you that I have something special planned for tonight, would that help you change your mind?” he lifts his head, but his eyes answer for him and are telling me that he’s already made his decision. “I didn’t think so.” My voice is quiet, and I inwardly curse myself when I feel my bottom lip beginning to tremble.

“Holl’s,” he steps forward, but I move away and open the door to go back inside. “I’ll call you when we’re on a break.” He says from behind me.

I pause in the doorway and turn back around. Shrugging my shoulders is the only thing I give him. He breaks his gaze from mine and turns back around, slowly making his way towards the van while shaking his head.

********

Misguided Truths: Part Two (Book four)

Synopsis

Twenty year old Brandon Taylor has experienced many things over the past eighteen months. Things that most people will never have to endure in their entire lifetime.

After spending time inside for a crime he didn’t commit, he arrives in Seattle with only one goal in mind; to find those responsible for ripping out his heart and taking away his freedom, ultimately turning his whole world upside down.

His intentions are simple, or at least they were. With fate stepping in to play a helping hand on the night of the college ball, nobody could have prepared him for the events that would follow. That one night was to change his life … forever.

It was supposed to have been one dance, but that one simple thing leads him to feel things he never thought he would again. But at what cost?

Falling in love again was never on his agenda. Breaking another person’s heart had never been a part of his plan. Unable to control his feelings for the brunette who captured his heart, he was finally able to be happy and be the person he once was. That was, until his past comes back to haunt him.

Everyone is entitled to have their happy ever after.

Will Brandon and Alexis get theirs?

Or has their relationship been destined to fail from the very beginning?

“Hey!” she snaps, and I keep my eyes firmly on her until she turns around to face me. Is she really that naive to accept a drink from a fucking stranger? I see the guy trying to sidestep away from us, but that’s not gonna happen. He can’t seriously think for one single second that he’s gotten away with this? No. He needs to be taught a fucking lesson. Without taking my eyes off of Alexis, I reach out and grab his shirt with my right hand, and shake my head at Alexis one more time before dragging that motherfucker toward the exit doors.

“What the fuck?” Did he just what the fuck me? Huh. Then I think it’s time to give some of the fuck back. I slam him headfirst through the doors and watch as he stumbles down to the ground. He’s a lot bigger than I am, but I think I’ve got this. “You’re gonna regret—”

“I’m gonna what? I’m gonna regret kicking the shit outta you?” I growl out, grabbing him by the hair this time. When he’s just about able to stand, I pull him down a small alleyway that leads toward the back of the building. “You see, buddy. I’m not gonna regret this for one single moment.” I grind while pushing him hard up against the stone wall.

“We could’ve shared her!” Oh, he didn’t. Tell me he didn’t just fucking say that? I grab a fistful of his shirt and wrap it around one of my hands while my other fist connects with his lower abdomen. “Argh!”

An uppercut across the chin and a couple of head-butts later, he’s rolling around on the ground and clutching his face. He thinks I’m done? Not a chance. I bring my leg back, but just as I’m about to kick him hard in the stomach, I feel hands grabbing my shoulders from behind me.

“Fuck, that’s enough man! Come on, I said enough!” Rye. Enough? No. I’ve only just fucking started here. That red stuff? Yeah, that’ll be his blood. I shrug Rye’s hands off of me and go to finish what I set out to do.

The guy rolls around some more once I’ve kicked him hard, and I lean down to bring him back onto his feet. I don’t even wanna think about what he was gonna do to her if he’d have gotten her outside. Asshole. Motherfucking— “Please! Stop!” Yeah, and what are the chances he would’ve fully ignored those exact words if they’d been said by Alexis or some other unsuspecting girl? Yeah, nice guy, huh?

Another few punches to the face and I think I’ve finally managed to break his nose. That’s a shame because what I really wanna break is his fucking peni—“Shit, you’re gonna fucking kill him if you don’t stop! I think he’s got the message, now let’s go!” Four hands are on me now, dragging me out from the dark alleyway and back onto the sidewalk; restraining me. I keep my focus on the dark space ahead. They’ll let go of me soon enough, and then I’m going back in. I’m not done yet. Not by a long shot.

********

Mistaken Hope (Book Five)

Synopsis:

They thought that it was over. They truly believed that they were living their forever and that nothing could ever come between them again.

But, they were wrong.

The past has come back and it’s threatening to destroy their happiness; their whole future… for good.

His love, the mother of his daughter, is snatched away, leaving Brandon with only one thing left to hold onto ... hope.

He's left with the hope that he’ll be able to end their pain and suffering once and for all, and live the promise he made to her all of those years ago.

Battles have been fought, and now it's time for the war. It's time for him to fight for the one he loves. It’s time to finally lay the past to rest.

He’s willing to sacrifice his life for the person who is one of his only reasons to breathe, and he vows to fight until the bitter end.

The day has finally come for him to fight for his forever, even if it means that this day will be his last.

It’s been twelve hours already. Where is she? Where the fuck is Alexis?

It feels as though the walls are closing in and my whole world is crashing down around me. That everything we’ve worked so hard for over the past few years are now just distant memories. What if that’s all I have left of her? What if we don’t get to make any more memories? What if I’ve already had all the time with her that I’m gonna have? What if I never see her again? What the fuck am I gonna do without her? I don’t wanna have to do any of this without her. I can’t do any of this without her in my life.

I run my hands roughly across my face, over and over again, trying to block out all the negative thoughts and visions that keep filtering inside my mind. I have to remain strong and believe that I’ll see her again; that yesterday wasn’t the final time that I’d see my wife alive.

********

Author Info

About Sarah Elizabeth

Sarah Elizabeth is the author of the Misjudged Series, Bliss, and an upcoming series that is yet to be announced. Known to many of her readers as ‘The Cliff-hanger Queen,’ she strives to add mystery to the romance and leave her readers wanting more.

She was born in the small market town of Middleham, North Yorkshire, but currently resides on the Isle of Wight with her fiancé and four young children.

She has a major addiction to male models, namely Lucas Gil and Jon Kortajarena, and enjoys spending her time stalking Instagram when she hasn’t got her head stuck in a romance novel or writing one of her own.